As Masterspec is a living document we are constantly updating and revising sections, this includes general sections which also need to reflect and respond to changes in legislation, standards, technology, industry norms etc. Some of which evolve over time, or can be anticipated in advance, while others happen quite abruptly. We look to manage this process smoothly wherever possible. This month a number of General sections have been updated and a new section has been added as part of this ongoing review and development process. We have summarised the main changes below for your information.
1220 Project
This section has an additional clause added giving designers the option to state that they are unaware of unusual or atypical features relating to design construction safety. This compliments the existing clause options that allow designers to identify this type of hazard or risk within the specification or within a separate report. Clause content has also been included allowing the principal's known site hazards to be identified within the specification and instructing the contractor to obtain the principal's site health and safety plan.
1231 Contract
This section has been slightly expanded to include provisional items (appropriate to NZS 3910 conditions of contract) and to allow the form of contract to be nominated if appropriate. The section has also been reformatted to suit an updated Q&A. This section is for use where the conditions of contract that will apply to the construction of the work are not known, or where they are known but are not being prepared by the specification writer.
1232 Interpretation & Definitions
This section has had minor alterations and includes an expanded definition and description of hold points and notification points.
1233 Reference documents
This section has had minor alterations.
1234 Documentation
The Section has been updated with information added relating to the Building Act requirements for residential building contracts. The care of construction documents and the confidentiality of documents have also been addressed. SELECTIONS have been added to clarify the receipt of construction documents from the initial issue through to any revisions.
1237WA Warranty agreement
This section has been reformatted.
1240 Establishment
This section has been simplified in relation to temporary construction to provide a more defined focus on establishment. Information in relation to access has been expanded and a requirement for first aid equipment has been added. The section suits smaller/simpler projects and is also suitable for larger/complex projects with more extensive and complimentary content available in 1247 Traffic control and 1250 Temporary works & services.
1247 Traffic Control
This section has been revised with SELECTIONS added to allow for project specific information to be easily added.
1250 Temporary Works & Services
Section updated.
1260 Project Management
This section has undergone a general update. Clauses allowing additional hold points and notification points to be identified, in addition to those within work sections, have been added. Hold points and notification points are used to identify items that are beyond requirements for general inspections. Hold points prevent work proceeding past a point without the contractor administrator and any other nominated person advising that work may continue. A notification point requires that the contract administrator and any other nominated person is given notice that particular work is to be carried out, work may continue and the contract administrator and any other nominated person may choose whether or not they wish to witness the particular work being carried out.
The purpose of site meetings has been defined, a clause requiring the contractor to provide a cash flow estimate is included, options for photographic records has been expanded to cover existing structures and to identify specific records required in addition to progress photos. SELECTIONS have been added to the section to allow specific project items to be clearly identified in relation to meetings and photographs.
The section retains requirements for the contractor to supply a programme, however for large complex projects requiring more detailed programming a new section 1264 PROGRAMMING has been provided. If using the new section the specification writer should delete the PROGRAMME clause content from the 1260 Project Management section and reference the new section 1264 PROGRAMMING in its place.
1270 Construction
This section has been updated with additional content including:
- The option of requiring the contractor to submit a quality plan. A quality plan may be justified for large or complex projects, or limited to significant items with high quality requirements.
- Notifiable work, which requires the lodging of a notice of the intention to commence such work, for example construction work with a risk of falling 5 metres or more.
- Options in relation to practical completion to prompt the inclusion of any requirements that are in addition to requirements included within the contract documents, as well as listing any conditions such as there being limited access for remedial work. A new clause also outlines a procedure which will allow the monitoring of the contractor's progress in completing defects
Existing content has also been altered/expanded including:
- Content relating to the execution of the work.
- Content in relation to Qualifications has been extended, including a clause to clarify requirements in relation to the replacement of a person (worker) should it be necessary.
- Content in relation to samples, prototypes, spares and maintenance products has been updated.
- Information on cleaning has also been expanded to clarify between cleaning required during the work and cleaning required on completion.
- Information on commissioning has been expanded to provide for instruction and demonstrations to the owner of systems and functions that would allow them to reasonably occupy and use the building, including such things as the location and isolation of all service connections.
New section - 1264 Programming
This new section covers a more advanced type of construction programme intended to be used as an active tool during the construction of the contract works by both the contractor and the contract administrator. It describes the requirements for the preparation, submittal, revision, update and use of programme documents.
The section will be beneficial in requiring the submittal of information required for assessing extension of time claims and other time related matters. The section is suitable for large complex projects only and will only be available in Masterspec Standard and Structural & Civil.
The section is based on the requirement for a construction programme using the contractors programming software, with the intention that the same software is available to the contract administrator. Specialist advice may be required to review and customise this section to suit project requirements.
Programme documents required from the contractor include programmes prepared as a critical path network as well as a method statement, programme schedules and programme narratives. A methodology is defined to cover the submittal of an initial programme right through to an as-built programme.
Section 1260 PROJECT MANAGEMENT contains a basic CONTRACT PROGRAMME clause - if a more advanced programme is required, delete the basic CONTRACT PROGRAMME clause content and replace it with a reference to this new section.